Weathering with Us
by randomthrowaway101
Summary: After the long awaited day of graduation and his 18th birthday arrives, Hodoka runs back to Tokyo to find Hina. The newly reunited couple must face a new set of challenges as Hodoka struggles with the harsh realities of the adult world and Hina tackles trying to raise her little brother in a Tokyo forever changed by rain.
1. Chapter 1

For the first time in two years, Hodoka tasted the saltiness of the sea-wind splattering against his face. Ever since he was dragged back to the island, he pretty much became a prisoner. His movements were confined to home and school. He wasn't allowed to go anywhere without permission from his parents, and police were assigned to watch his every move. Things were different now. Yesterday, he celebrated his 18th birthday. He was now a free man. Free to escape the small confines of this island, free to live out his own life as he saw fit. It had seemed like he waited an eternity for this day to finally come.

He glanced across the ocean horizon. His eyes could see nothing, but in his heart, he could see the dazzling skyline of Tokyo. It was a place that had captivated him ever since he was a small child. A bustling metropolis, a place of endless opportunities. Sure... it could also a dangerous place, filled with unknowns, but still.

As the horn of the cruise ship blared throughout the air, Hodoka turned back one last time to look at the island. Despite growing up here, he felt absolutely no connection to the land he was about to turn his back on. He had made up his mind. His parents chided his decision to return to Tokyo. "_The place is flooded now! What are you going to do there? It's dangerous! You don't know anyone there!"_ Hoisting his bag up onto his shoulder, he began to walk down to the pier. He would rather live in the "dangerous real world" as a free man and be given the freedom to fail than live as a prisoner in a "safe haven", robbed of the opportunity to succeed. After all, it was in his name. "Hodoka 帆高". To sail high, far away from this place.

He zipped up his jacket and pulled his hood over his face. He technically didn't have to do that anymore as an adult, free from the shackles that had bound him to the island, but old habits from his time as a runaway die hard. He handed over his ticket and stepped onto the deck of the cruise ship, his ride out of here, without another word.

There weren't many people on the ship, so he was able to find a peaceful little corner to sit in without much trouble. Before he sat down however, he patted his pocket to make sure that "the thing" was still there. It was. Sliding down into his seat, he took it out. A ring. He had polished it tirelessly for two years so it would still look as pristine as it did when he first purchased it back at the LUMINE.

He attempted to stifle a yawn as the cruise ship slowly began to pull away from the harbor. There was much he needed to think about when he arrived in Tokyo again, but none of that was as important as the person in his mind.

He needed to see her again.


	2. Chapter 2

**"Temperature in Tokyo - 14 Degrees Celsius - Weather : Stormy with rain." **

The weather forecast blared on the small TV above him as Hodoka slinked back into his seat. Of course it was, he hadn't forgotten about the events that occurred 3 years ago. He knew he was close now. The ship was already rocking against the waves as the rain pitter pattered on the steel roof above. He had learned his lesson from last time. This time he stayed well put in his seat, even as the ship began to pull into Tokyo Bay. He glanced out of the window towards the encroaching skyline manifesting itself through the mist, and his eyes widened like plates.

He had expected flooding... but not this bad! The broadcast above him flicked to life once more.

_"Due to the submersion of several major suspension bridges, travel between locations such as Northern Tokyo Bay to Odaiba Island has become limited to water based ferries. This disruption of travel of people and goods has been estimated to have caused billions worth of damage to the economy."_

_"Most areas in the low-lying "five wards of Koto" in eastern Tokyo — also including Adachi, Katsushika, Koto and Sumida have been completely submerged by floods with no signs of letting up. Millions of residents have become refugees. The government is still struggling to handle everyone who has been displaced in the Great Flood."_

As the images flashed across the screen, Hodoka felt sick to the stomach. It felt like every single passenger on the cruise ship was judging him at this very moment, their icy stares piercing into his soul. He had wanted to save her, so much so that he was willing to give up any and all blue sky... but to cause all of this? To impact the livelihoods of so many people? Was it selfish of him that he wanted them to be together? One of the main lessons of adulthood was that all actions had consequences. The flooding and storms would forever be a reminder to him of his decision.

The horn blared again, signaling its arrival at it docked against the pier. Hodoka silently slipped on his poncho, collected his things, and moved along with the crowd towards the exit.

As he stepped out, he looked around at his surroundings. Things really haven't changed much, ignoring the flooding of course. It was still the same tall buildings, the same flashing neon lights, the same people in different colored ponchos and holding different colored umbrellas rushing to and fro past him. Even the constant rain couldn't hold back the daily hustle and bustle of the Eastern Capital. He hadn't returned here to sightsee however. He reminded himself of the fact quickly and continued to follow along the blue dotted line of his GPS. The subway station should be nearby... ah, there it is!

_"Sorry sir, the line towards that station is closed."_ The ticket salesman replied grimly.

_"What? But.. I need to get there! I have a... friend I need to desperately see.!" _

_"Your friend doesn't live there anymore. Nobody does. The area's flooded."_

_"Sigh..."_ Hodoka slumped against the wall of the subway station and buried his face in his hands. What if Hina had left Tokyo altogether with Nagi and moved on? It would make sense after all, with Child Protective Services still hot on their butts after he was deported back home. He hadn't been allowed to talk to Hina for the entire time they had been apart. He pulled out his wallet and reached for a small photograph. It was taken way back when Suga had coincidently hired him and Hina to make it shine so his daughter could play outside free from the constraints of her asthma. It was the only piece of memory he had of them... Suga, Natsumi, Hina. It was specifically this picture that had helped him get through to graduation when times were tough. It looked like they were a real family. As he was about to slip the photo back in, something else caught his eye. _"Huh?"_ A name card. The edges were all wrinkled, the paper yellowed, and the print on the front almost completely faded. Hodoka still recognized it immediately however.

_"I didn't want to have to come to this... but it looks like we'll have to try Plan B after all."_ As the phone rang against his ear, Hodoka felt the saliva in his mouth dry up. The last time he had dialed this number, he was in an absolutely desperate situation. Would Suga even want to see his face again? He did fire him after all, in one of the most unceremonious fashions ever. The last time he saw the man, he was sitting handcuffed in the back of a police car. Perhaps Suga also had moved on with his life, leaving Hodoka as the only one still desperately trying to chase after the past. As the phone line finally connected, Hodoka felt his muscles tense.

A robotic automated voice was what greeted the boy. _"Hello! Thank you for calling K&A Planning Co, Ltd! Due to the recent flooding, our office location has changed. Please call us at this new number. Thank you very much!_ ***click***."


	3. Chapter 3

_"Keisuke-San?"_

_"Hm?"_ Popping open a can of beer, Suga glanced in the direction of his secretary before returning his eyes to his screen. _"What's up?"_

_"Someone's here to see you."_

Suga groaned. _"If it's another solicitor, tell him to buzz off."_

_"He says his name is Hodoka..."_

_"!"_ Suga froze, but only for a brief second. He began chuckling. _"Ahaha, jeez kiddo, I was wondering if you were ever gonna show up again."_ He began shaking his head slightly as he took another swig of the beer in his hand.

_"Keisuke-San?"_

_"Oh sorry, my bad, I kinda dozed off there."_ He set down his drink on his desk and waved his hand. _"Buzz him in."_

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

_"Welcome back, kiddo."_ Suga laughed as the boy he had met on the cruise ship three years ago appeared in front of him once more.

_"Keisuke-San!"_ Hodoka removed his hood and bowed. _"It's nice to see you again!"_

_"Cut the crap with the formalities already kid, just call me Suga."_ He picked up his beer and took another sip. _"So what's up? Where are you going to be going to college at?"_

Hodoka scratched the back of his head. _"My national college entrance exam scores were nowhere near close enough to even get me to the door."_

_"No surprise kid, you never looked like the smart type."_ Suga laughed at his own joke. _"I'm just pulling your leg kid. Besides, I think college is a total scam anyways."_

_"What's Natsumi-San doing?"_

Suga waved his beer can in the air and gestured out towards the window. _"She's off to some college in America. Yeah kid, I know right. Somehow she managed to seduce them enough to offer her a scholarship."_

Hodoka looked around at the office and at the two secretaries busy behind their desktops. _"You seem to have a nice place here... huh, Rain?" _He hadn't even noticed his cat, curled up into a ball and snoozing in the corner. It's ears perked up, hearing the noise. The cat opened it's eyes, yawned, and rose from it's nap. Running over, it jumped onto Suga's desk and sat down.

_"Wow..."_ Hodoka was amazed. _"Rain... you've grown so much."_ The cat meowed in response.

_"It's been a long time, kid."_ Suga leaned forward and clasped his hands together. _"Although as awesome as I am, I assume you didn't run all the way back to Tokyo just to chat with poor old me?"_

_"..."_

Suga leaned back into his chair. _"Still quiet as always eh kid?"_ In his mind, he had already guessed what Hodoka was here for when he walked in through the door, but he wanted to hear him say it for himself.

Glancing down at the carpet, Hodoka took a deep breath. _"I came to find Hina... but her old place was flooded..."_

Suga raised an eyebrow and smiled. _"Oh I see! ... so you came to me because... I somehow know where to find her?"_

Hodoka was silent like last time.

_"Ah kid, come on now, don't make that kinda face in my office. It's already gloomy enough out there."_ He gestured out towards the rain with his beer can. _"But you know what! Today is your lucky day! I just happen to know where you can find her."_

Hodoka seemed to be immediately revitalized at those words. _"What? Really? Where-"_

Suga wagged his finger. _"Nuh-uh, hold your horses kiddo."_ He flashed a devious grin. _"You gotta do a favor for me first."_

Hodoka tried his best to stifle a groan escaping from his throat to no avail.

_"Oh come on now kid, it's nothing. Give me a second."_ Returning his attention to his screen, the printer beside him whirred to life as a printout of a Google Maps overhead view was slowly fed out. Grabbing a sharpie, he circled a location on it and scribbled down a few sentences.

Hodoka snatched it up. _"Uhhh... what the heck is this?"_

Suga smiled. _"That's the location on that map I want you to go to. There's an overlook that allows you to get a great view of Tokyo. Go there and get me a picture. I need it for err... a new magazine publication."_

Hodoka raised an eyebrow in confusion. _"Don't I need like, a camera for this or something?"_

Suga shook his head. _"Nope! Just use your smartphone camera."_

_"Huh... well, okay then."_ Hodoka glanced down at the map. Suga's chicken scratch was as messy as always, but the instructions were clear and straightforward. It didn't seem like it would take an expedition get to. As Hodoka turned to exit the office, he made sure to bid farewell to Suga's two secretaries.

_"One last thing kiddo!"_ Suga called out to him. _"Make sure you arrive by 5 PM! It's err... when you'll get the best view!"_


	4. Chapter 4

The more Hodoka thought about it, the more he realized Suga's request made absolutely no sense to him. However, it wasn't like he had any choice. He decided to suck it up and try to get it over with as quickly as he could.

_"What! Oh you've got to be kidding me!"_ What would have been a fifteen minute subway ride maximum would now have to require a thirty minute bus ride plus some additional walking to avoid the flooded areas. Maybe that's why Suga had sent him specifically. Even though he no longer worked for the man anymore, he still was able to find a way to make him his errand boy. Just like the good old days.

He kept his eyes glued to the GPS screen, eyes intently following the blue line as the bus chugged along the route. _"Thanks for the ride."_ Hodoka bowed to the bus driver before stepping off. This was as far as public transportation would take him. He checked the time. If he wanted to make it before 5, he was going to have to hurry.

The GPS buzzed, alerting him that he was close. He surveyed his surroundings. He could follow the GPS and go around to get to where he needed to be. Or... he could take a short-cut, climb over a few walls, and walk along a stone ramp to get there. The only problem is, the only way to access it was to go through alleyway that had been flooded. _"Hnrgh..."_ Hodoka checked the time once more. He had no choice. Fine, shortcut it is.

Grumbling, Hodoka hoisted himself over the last barrier. He checked the map again. His sneakers and pants were completely drenched and dripping onto the ground, but the destination was only about twenty meters away now. As he walked along the ramp, he couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia wash up. Why did this place seem so familiar? Had he walked along this path here before? As he approached the top, a figure began to appear in his vision. She was dressed in a High School uniform, hood drawn up over her face. Her hands were clasped together, focused in intense prayer. Hodoka felt his legs freeze up in place. _"No way..."_ He was only a few meters away now, close enough to get a glimpse of her face.

_"! ..."_ Hodoka opened his mouth, but no words came out. The girl he had waited for so long to see, someone he swore he would never forget. At the last moment, doubt began to seep into his mind. _"It's all your fault Hodoka! Bring my sister back!"_ Nagi's words echoed through his mind, slicing at his nerves like a thousand needles. Did she feel the same way? Things were all much simpler before he arrived. Would she blame him for ruining it all? Worst of all... had she forgotten about him? He felt a drop streak down his cheek... was it the rain?

A gust of wind blew by, blowing the hood off her face. As her pigtails were swept into the air, Hina turned around.

_"!"_ There was no mistaking her for someone else now. As her eyes opened wide in surprise, Hodoka's heart was racing a million miles. What was her response going to be? Would she be happy to be see him? Would she cry? Or would she tell him to get lost? To his relief, her eyes seemed to light up at the sight of him.

_"Hodoka!"_

_"Hina..."_ Her name came out only a whisper, drowned out by her calling his own name. That seemed to shatter the spell that froze him in place, as Hodoka felt as if he was in control of his body again.

She raced down to him, jumping into his arms, simultaneously wrapping hers around his body. He probably had a million questions, and another million things he wanted to say to her, but none of that mattered right now. He tightened his grasp around her, almost as if he was afraid she would slip away again. Her body was so warm against his own, enough to drown out the bleakness of the rain surrounding them. His heart hammered in his chest, complicated emotions swirling as he barely contained them at bay. The piece of the puzzle he had been missing for so long had finally settled into place. If only time could just freeze, so he could cherish this embrace a little longer.

_"I missed you so much..."_

Hodoka didn't reply. He was afraid that if he tried to say anything, he would completely lose it. He had to be strong in front of her. He tried to maintain his facade, but a few rogue drops still managed to break free from his defenses.

_"Hey now..."_ With her sleeve, Hina wiped away at the tears streaking down his cheek. As she did so, Hodoka could also notice sparkles of her own in her eyes. _"It's going to be alright."_

Spurned on by the moment, Hodoka reached down and clasped her hands in his. _"Yeah, you're right Hina."_ He flashed a smile of affirmation. _"Everything's going to be alright!"_


	5. Chapter 5

**\- Author's Note - : To those who left reviews or favorites, thank you all so much for your kind words. I've made a few changes to the previous few chapters based on some suggestions I've received, so feel free to check that out if you'd wish. For now, enjoy this new chapter (it's going to be... different) Until next time :D **

xxxxxxxxx

_"What happened to your pants? Why are they drenched?"_

_"Oh."_ Hodoka grinned sheepishly. _"I... uh..."_

_"Still as clumsy as ever, aren't you."_ Hina chuckled, before Hodoka could finish.

_"Actually, I..."_

_"Come on, let's get you inside. You're going to catch a cold like this!"_ Before Hodoka could react, Hina grabbed him by the hand.

_"Hey! Uh-"_ Hodoka was about to raise his voice in protest, but his body allowed itself to be dragged along by her. His eyes darted off towards the direction where her old apartment was, but Hina seemed to read his mind before he could even open his mouth.

_"Yeah, our old apartment wasn't fortunate enough to be spared from the flood."_

_"Oh..."_ Gosh dang it, how did he forget this already?

_"Did Suga not tell you that we moved?"_

_"Eh?"_ Hodoka was caught off guard. _"Suga?"_

Hina smiled softly. She had let go of Hodoka's hand by now, allowing the boy to follow her behind on his own. _"He's done a lot for us. Got CPS off our tail, helped us get set up in a new place when our apartment flooded, and so much more. I have no idea if I can ever repay the man..."_

_"!"_ Suga did all this for them? Was this really the same Keisuke Suga he knew from three years ago? The man that had gleefully taken advantage of the thin pockets of a 16 year old runaway, the man that had gotten rid of him immediately the first sign of trouble arrived at his doorstep without second thought. Was he behind their "coincidental" meet-up too? He had never questioned it when he found her here, he had assumed that it was simply destined by higher powers. Now, the more he thought about Suga's weird request, the more he began to doubt that it was just merely fate.

_"He's got a rough exterior, but on the inside..."_ Hina intertwined her fingers behind her back. "He told me about how you outsmarted and fought the cops, just to save me."

_"That's not true at all!"_ Hodoka stammered. _"I mean... I did move heaven and earth to get to you, but I couldn't have done it without the help of Suga and Natsumi. Your brother too! It was a group effort."_

Letting him continue, Hina tried to ignore the hot feeling rising throughout her cheeks. His voice was the first thing she heard when she woke up. She remembered the moment he appeared in her vision, soaring with the wind through the sky towards her. His face was all battered, his lip cut, his eye bruised, and a handcuff was dangling off his wrist. When he reached out towards her and told her to jump, she trusted him. He had put his life on the line to reach her, and the only right thing for her to do was to return the favor.

_"Oh! We're here!"_ Accompanied by the jingling of keys, Hina opened the door. _"You have something to change into?"_

_"Uhh... oh yeah! I do."_ Hodoka set down his backpack, rummaged around, and pulled out a t-shirt and shorts.

_"Bathroom's over there, you can leave your wet clothes on the radiator." _

As Hodoka emerged, he noticed that Hina had changed as well. She had an apron wrapped around her waist.

_"I'm going to make dinner soon, you should stay and join us."_

_"Hina, I really don't want to have to be a burden..."_

_"Oh come on now, you've come all the way back to Tokyo. This is the least I can do. Besides... you could never be a burden to me."_

Gulp. As the temperature of his cheeks rose at the sound of her words, Hodoka turned around in an attempt to hide his face. When Hina disappeared into the kitchen, Hodoka followed her in.

_"Hina, at least let me help you out."_

_"Okay, do you wanna help me wash the vegetables?"_

_"Sure! I'd love to!" _

As dinner was being prepared in the kitchen, Hodoka helped her set up the table. He looked at the clock. _"Hey Hina? Where's Nagi-kun?"_

_"Nagi? He went out for something, I have no idea what for though."_

_"Should we call him? It's getting kind of late..."_

_"Huh.. maybe we should, it is quite late-"_

_"I'm home!"_

The door swung open. _"Nee-chan? Who's shoes are..." _

_"Sempai!"_

Hina raised an eyebrow and looked incredulously at Hodoka. _"S-Sempai?" _

_"What the..."_ Nagi's facial expression, originally of surprise, soon gave way to disgust. His hands, originally hanging loose at his sides, curled into fists. _"What. The. Hell. Are you doing here."_


	6. Chapter 6

To say Hodoka was taken completely aback would be a hell of a understatement. He looked over at Hina, the same look of shock overtaking her facial features.

_"Nagi! What are you..."_

_"I know exactly who it is, onee-chan."_ A reply came back, dripping with sarcasm. He dropped off his backpack. _"You have some nerve showing your face here again." _

The tension in the air was palpable now. Hodoka stood there frozen, unsure of what his next move would be.

_"Um..."_ Hina spoke first, in an attempt to break the tension lingering in the air. _"Dinners ready, how about we eat."_

The meal progressed in silence. Only the clinking sounds of chopsticks on bowls could be heard. Hodoka spoke first, to try to break the stifling air of silence.

_"So uh, Sempai."_

_"Don't fucking call me that, it's cringe."_

_"Nagi! Watch your language!"_ Hina snapped. _"Don't speak like that to the guest."_

_"Oh come on! Why are you defending him!"_ Nagi slammed his bowl down. _"He's a bad omen. He's ruined everything! Meanwhile, you're treating him like he's some guest of honor. I know why, because he makes your heart tremble and your genitals tingle!"_

Hodoka spat out his mouthful of rice back into his bowl. His eyes darted towards him, eyes wide open with amazement. Nagi seemed to have the same expression in his eyes at what had just come out of his mouth.

_"Nee-chan! I-"_

Hodoka snuck a small peek at Hina. Dark clouds were forming over her face, and she was slightly trembling. Her chopsticks made a terrifying sound as she set them down, making Hodoka flinch.

_"Get the hell out..."_

_"Eh?"_ Both boys froze in their place. Who was she talking about? Hodoka was sweating bullets by now, terrified of the storm that was certain to arrive after the calm.

_"Get out!"_ Hina slammed her palms onto the table, glaring at her little brother. _"Out! Out!"_

_"Wait! It's raining-"_

Before Hodoka could finish, the door was already swinging shut. He scrambled to his feet. _"I'm going after him!"_

Hina did not reply, and Hodoka took the hint. _"I'm going to borrow your umbrella."_ He grabbed his poncho, slipped it on, and raced out the door.

_"Nagi!"_ His voice was drowned out by a clash of thunder. He looked up at the sky, dark clouds looming overhead. The rain was going to worsen very soon. He surveyed around, there was no way Nagi could have gone far. _"Nagi... there you are!"_

In the corner of his eye, he spotted the boy, curled up against a corner against an alleyway. His shoes splashed on the ground as he ran over to him.

_"Leave me alone."_ Nagi wrapped his hands around his knees, pulling them in towards his knees.

_"Nagi, let's go inside."_ Hodoka crouched down so he could get to his level, holding the umbrella over the both of them.

After a moment of silence, Nagi sighed. _"Mom's apartment was destroyed by the flood."_

_"Huh?"_

_"The old apartment. That was the only thing Mom had been able to leave us. All our belongings were washed away. To make ends meet my sister has been working in addition to attending school. I'm not old enough to work yet, so I can't help her alleviate the duty."_ He continued on. _"The flood destroyed the homes of several of my best friends. They couldn't afford to relocate in Tokyo, so they all had to move away."_

_"!"_

Nagi looked up at Hodoka. The earlier hostility on his face and in his voice were entirely gone now. _"Love is the strongest thing in the world, isn't it? Enough to delude ourselves into thinking we can surpass even fate. She waited everyday for you there, praying for you to come back."_ Nagi closed his eyes, his voice laced with ice.

_"Megumi-chan was washed away by the flood. I'm waiting for her to come back as well. Several people I know of lost family members. They're also waiting for their loved ones to come back."_

_"..."_ The more Nagi spoke, the more Hodoka felt the weight of his words crushing down on his soul. The broadcast he heard on the ship was just mere statistics. The destruction of Tokyo he witnessed for himself was just a movie scene. Upfront and personal however? This was a horror story, enough to make his spine crawl.

_"Nagi, please... let's go."_ Hodoka finally worked up the courage to speak as he pleaded with him. _"A storm's coming."_


End file.
